www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... -has-begun This role looks well suited to Sir Kev IMO Could this be the role that enticed him to cut short his rugger career ? I believe that Sinny will ultimately replace Gawwy at HQ when he retires, so this could well be the ideal stepping stone of business management progression for him

www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... -has-begun This role looks well suited to Sir Kev IMO Could this be the role that enticed him to cut short his rugger career ? I believe that Sinny will ultimately replace Gawwy at HQ when he retires, so this could well be the ideal stepping stone of business management progression for him

It will be a long time before Gary retires. Unless somebody forces him out.

Needs to be someone with experience of running a commercial business, preferably in the sports field. So not a player who has just retired and has no business experience whatsoever.

Tell you who it would suit though. Someone like Rob Oates, the commercial director up at Headingley. Relatively young, energetic, used to negotiating contracts and pretty media friendly.

Yes not had many dealings with Rob , but know plenty who have and they all speak highly of him

Rob Oates would be a cracking choice. I get the feeling he's more than happy to be at Leeds but he'd be a great person for that role. Understands RL and the commercial side.

I have had dealings with Rob and he is a good professional manager and a nice chap and 100% Leeds Rugby.

Sir Kev didn't get the big one but he's been awarded a job at the RFL as Rugby Director I heard whispers that he was RFL bound First rung on the ladder for him towards his succession of GH as the Rhinos CEO www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-8086482

Sir Kev didn't get the big one but he's been awarded a job at the RFL as Rugby Director I heard whispers that he was RFL bound First rung on the ladder for him towards his succession of GH as the Rhinos CEO www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-8086482

Dream on, they will give it to some businessman who doesn't understand anything about the game or the people who watch it.

I would rather we had Kev in our camp tbh, I don't know why we haven't appointed him in some capacity already

Whereas they could give it a sportsman who doesn't understand anything about finance and business!

They might understand that it is stupid to have players play 40 games a season and that nearly everybody want the CC final in May where it doesn't interfere with the run in to the playoffs

Maybe just like Peacock he wanted to test himself away from the relative safety of Headingley.

I think so too

Or maybe he's more interested in the future of the game as a whole rather than just our club. After all, the way we're going the sport is in danger and that means the clubs are too

You could be in with a shout.

I'm pretty sure he will end up at HQ at some point, but he, just as JP alluded to, doesn't want to take a promotion to management (of any kind, not just team management), with guys that he has classed as mates for 15 years. That would be a very difficult position to start in. Much better to learn the trade in a more neutral environment, then come home...... And hopefully build on his legendary status even further.....

He hasn't been given the big one but judging by some comments from fans of other clubs who clearly haven't read about what his role is and have just seen the headline they clearly think he's suddenly the head guy in the RFL. For example a Wakey fan on their board is concerned that we'll now see a reduction of teams in SL because that's what Leeds have always wanted and of course as a Leeds guy Sinfield will make that happen......erm he might want to read what Sinfield's role actually entails.

The problem with the RFL is that its the clubs and finances that run the game and not the RFL and Sir Kev will never be able to change that.

To give an example at the end of the Four Nations Sinfield has to present a review of the England performance. Whats he going to say? The players play too many games, dont have enough preperation time and not enough home grown players. The same as after every other tournament. Will the clubs reduce the games? No. Will they give up the money making Easter slugfest? No. Will they stop signing 2nd rate Aussies? Of course not. In truth they cant or they wont survive.

I wish Kevin all the success in the world and there is nobody better to be involved with the RFL but i fear he will never be able to make any impact on the governing body or the game.

Agree with most of that Marty.

Though maybe someone like Sinfield stands more chance than most to institute change.

I have some sympathy with the clubs on the number of games front. They do need those games. Most clubs will get around 15 home games including the cup. That isn't a huge amount on which to run a full time club. Which is the dilemna the RFL faces. Reduce the number of games and you reduce revenue to the clubs. But vice versa is the workload on the players.

To try and deal with that we have to increase revenue from other sources. Whilst improvements have been made I still think RL clubs are god awful at selling themselves for both matchday and non-matchday activities and for using the stadiums as event venues. I'd like to see the RFL co-ordinate some marketing and development for these activities across the sport.
But that would require the clubs working together.

I think far more can be done to increase participation at youth and junior level too.

In general my attitude is that we have to get away from the old-style, football model of where every club is an isolated business/club/entity run totally on its own because I think that inevitably leads to 12 clubs pulling in 12 different directions at once. We have to consolidate our strength and work together. Things like joint academy setups, sharing stadiums, sharing facilities, sharing staff and expertise etc. I'd also like to see an idea I've floated on here before of, instead of a club season ticket, a Rugby League season ticket that gets you in to the home games for the club of your choice (as a normal ST does) but also includes an additional charge that would also get you in to a variety of different RL events for free too.

We've got to start thinking as a sport rather than a set of individual clubs.

It'll be interesting to see how well Sinfield handles working for an organisation where bullying, harassment, parochialism and petty political point-scoring appears to be rife.

I wish him good fortune. He's gonna need it.

Not to mention sexual preference discrimination!!

Indeed!

Have you seen the article in the latest edition of League Weekly regarding the treatment of Silverwood, Stokes and Thomason?



The usual suspects are already sweeping it under the carpet (and I include certain obsequious RL trade publications) although at least the Hull Daily Mail mentions it [url=http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/rugby-league-round-up-ex-referees-blow-whistle-with-damning-rfl-verdict/story-29664561-detail/story.html[uHERE...[/u[/url

Daily Express is on to it as well [url=http://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/705044/Super-League-RFL-George-Stokes-Matt-Thomason-Ralph-Rimmer?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter[uHERE...[/u[/url

Why the hell would Sinfield want to taint his reputation by working for the RFL?

RFL may as well give Hardaker a job FFS.

We all know RL ain't perfect but after watching the shameless effort by Pakistan to boost England's ODI score I'll be interested to see which sport is guilty of the bigger "sweeping under the carpet" exercise.

So the RFL is like quite alot of office environments.

But I guess regarding the points you raised, sinfield really doesn't need any luck, because he's a ''privileged straight white male'' who receives better advantages in life.

Amirite?

Kevin Sinfield has got where he is more through a hell of a lot of hard work, considerable sacrifice, a huge amount of natural talent and the ability at an interview to convince someone to give him a job than being white and straight - Amirite?

Not sure how coming from Oldham is such a privilege

more a burden I would say

Are you seriously suggesting the RFL is fit for purpose!!!

It could even be bothered to gather data about concussion in the sport it cares so much about encouraging participation.

As long as Nigel doesn't go hungry and his mates like Rimmer and Smith get jobs so his position is secure all is well with RL in the UK?